Kalanchoe plant named &#39;Fikalsaja&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Kalanchoe plant named ‘Fikalsaja’, characterized by its compact, upright and uniformly mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching plant habit; glossy dark green-colored leaves; uniform, early and freely flowering habit; clear yellow-colored flowers; and excellent postproduction longevity.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Kalanchoe plant,botanically known as Kalanchoe blossfeldiana and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Fikalsaja’.

The new Kalanchoe is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new freely-branching and freely-floweringKalanchoe plants with attractive leaf and flower coloration.

The new Kalanchoe plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in De Lier, The Netherlands in 2010 of Kalanchoe blossfeldiana‘Forever Midi Yellow’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent withKalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Goldstrike’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Patentnumber 6,632, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Kalanchoe plantwas discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plantfrom within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledenvironment in De Lier, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Kalanchoe plant by vegetative terminalcuttings in a controlled environment in De Lier, The Netherlands since2013 has shown that the unique features of this new Kalanchoe plant arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Kalanchoe have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature, daylength and light intensity without, however, anyvariance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Fikalsaja’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Fikalsaja’ as a new and distinct Kalanchoeplant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and uniformly mounded plant habit.    -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching plant habit.    -   4. Glossy dark green-colored leaves.    -   5. Uniform, early and freely flowering habit.    -   6. Clear yellow-colored flowers.    -   7. Excellent postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of the femaleparent, ‘Forever Midi Yellow’. Plants of the new Kalanchoe differ fromplants of ‘Forever Midi Yellow’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe are not as vigorous as plants of        ‘Forever Midi Yellow’.    -   2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe have smaller leaves than plants        of ‘Forever Midi Yellow’.    -   3. Plants of the new Kalanchoe have larger flowers than plants        of ‘Forever Midi Yellow’.    -   4. Plants of the new Kalanchoe flower earlier than plants of        ‘Forever Midi Yellow’.    -   5. Plants of the new Kalanchoe and ‘Forever Midi Yellow’ differ        in flower color as plants of ‘Forever Midi Yellow’ have orangish        yellow-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of the maleparent, ‘Goldstrike’. Plants of the new Kalanchoe differ from plants of‘Goldstrike’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe are more vigorous than plants of        ‘Goldstrike’.    -   2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe are more freely branching than        plants of ‘Goldstrike’.    -   3. Plants of the new Kalanchoe have larger flowers than plants        of ‘Goldstrike’.    -   4. Plants of the new Kalanchoe flower earlier than plants of        ‘Goldstrike’.    -   5. Plants of the new Kalanchoe and ‘Goldstrike’ differ in flower        color as plants of ‘Goldstrike’ have orangish yellow-colored        flowers.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of the Kalanchoeblossfeldiana ‘Fikalcoto’, disclosed in a U.S. Plant Patent applicationfiled concurrently. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in De Lier,The Netherlands, plants of the new Kalanchoe differed from plants of‘Fikalcoto’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe were smaller and more compact        than plants of ‘Fikalcoto’.    -   2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe had lighter green-colored stems        than plants of ‘Fikalcoto’.    -   3. Plants of the new Kalanchoe had larger leaves than plants of        ‘Fikalcoto’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Kalanchoe plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values citedin the detailed botanical description which accurately describe thecolors of the new Kalanchoe plant. The photograph is a side perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘Fikalsaja’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the winter in 10-cm containersin a glass-covered greenhouse in De Lier, The Netherlands and undercultural practices typical of commercial Kalanchoe production. Duringthe production of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 19°C. to 20° C. and light levels ranged from 10,000 lux to 50,000 lux.Plants received long day/short night conditions (more than 14 hours oflight) for about three weeks then plants received photoinductive shortday/long night conditions (minimum 14 hours darkness) until flowering.Plants were 15 weeks old when the photograph and description were taken.In the detailed description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical Classification:

-   -   Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Fikalsaja’.

Parentage:

-   -   Female, or seed, parent: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Forever Midi        Yellow’, not patented.    -   Male or pollen parent: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Goldstrike’,        disclosed in U.S. Plant Patent number 6,632.

Propagation:

-   -   Type: By vegetative terminal cuttings.    -   Time to initiate roots, summer: About ten days at temperatures        about 21° C.    -   Time to initiate roots, winter: About two weeks at temperatures        about 21° C.    -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer: About 20 days at        temperatures about 21° C.    -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter: About 27 days at        temperatures about 21° C.    -   Root description: Fine, fibrous; greyish white in color.    -   Rooting habit: Freely branching; dense.

Plant Description:

-   -   Plant and growth habit: Compact, upright and uniformly mounded        plant habit; freely flowering habit with numerous cymes        positioned above the foliar plane; inverted triangle with        rounded crown; appropriate for 7.5 to 15.25-cm containers;        moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   Plant height at flowering: About 15 cm.    -   Plant diameter at flowering: About 15 cm.    -   Branching habit: Freely branching habit with usually about five        to seven lateral branches developing per plant; pinching        (removal of the terminal apex) is not required but will enhance        lateral branch development.

Lateral Branch Description:

-   -   Length: About 11 cm to 16 cm.    -   Diameter: About 2 mm to 5 mm.    -   Internode length: About 2 cm to 3 cm.    -   Aspect: Erect.    -   Strength: Moderately strong.    -   Texture: Smooth, glabrous.    -   Color: Close to 137D.

Leaf Description:

-   -   Arrangement: Opposite, simple; generally symmetrical.    -   Quantity per plant: About six to ten mature leaves and about ten        to 14 generative leaves.    -   Length: About 10 cm.    -   Width: About 7 cm.    -   Shape: Ovate to elliptic.    -   Apex: Obtuse.    -   Base: Acute.    -   Margin: Crenate.    -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; coriaceous;        succulent; glossy.    -   Venation pattern: Pinnate.    -   Color:        -   Developing and fully developed leaves, upper surface:        -   Close to N137A; venation, close to N137A to N137B.        -   Developing and fully developed leaves, lower surface:        -   Close to 147B; venation, close to 147B.    -   Petioles:        -   Length: About 1.5 cm.        -   Diameter: About 4 mm to 8 mm.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;            coriaceous; succulent.        -   Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to N137A to N137B.

Flower Description:

-   -   Flower arrangement and habit: Single flowers arranged singly in        axillary cymes; uniform and freely flowering habit with usually        more than 25 open flowers and more than 25 flower buds per        lateral branch and more than 150 open flowers and flower buds        developing per plant; plants flower continuously for at least        six weeks.    -   Fragrance: None detected.    -   Natural flowering season: Plants of the new Kalanchoe initiate        and develop flowers under short day/long night conditions or        during November and December in The Netherlands; flower        initiation and development can also be induced under artificial        short day/long conditions (at least 14 hours of darkness).    -   Time to flower: Early flowering habit, under short day/long        night photoinductive conditions, plants begin flowering about        eight to ten weeks; actual time to flower is primarily dependent        upon temperature and light intensity.    -   Post-production longevity: Excellent post-production longevity;        plants maintain good foliage and flower substance for about 46        days under interior conditions; individual flowers last about 16        days on the plant; flowers persistent.    -   Flower diameter: About 1.9 cm.    -   Flower length (height): About 1.4 cm.    -   Flower buds:        -   Length: About 1.4 cm.        -   Diameter: About 3 mm.        -   Shape: Initially oblong, becoming tubular ovoid with            development.        -   Color: Close to 138C and becoming closer to 12C with            development.    -   Petals:        -   Arrangement: Four in a single whorl.        -   Length: About 7 mm.        -   Width: About 6 mm.        -   Aspect: Flat to somewhat upright.        -   Shape: Ovate.        -   Apex: Acute.        -   Base: Obtuse.        -   Margin: Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color:            -   When opening, upper surface: Close to 12A.            -   When opening, lower surface: Close to 12C to 12D.            -   Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 12A to 12B; color                becoming closer to 12C with development.            -   Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 12D.    -   Sepals:        -   Appearance: Four in a single whorl.        -   Length: About 9 mm.        -   Width: About 2 mm.        -   Shape: Oblong, pointed.        -   Apex: Acute.        -   Base: Obtuse.        -   Margin: Entire.        -   Aspect: Upright, rigid.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth; glabrous.        -   Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 138B.    -   Peduncles:        -   Length: About 4 mm.        -   Diameter: About 1 mm.        -   Aspect: Erect, rigid.        -   Strength: Strong.        -   Texture: Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color: Close to 138B.    -   Reproductive organs:        -   Androecium:            -   Stamen number: About eight per flower.            -   Anther shape: Elliptic, flat.            -   Anther length: About 0.3 mm.            -   Anther color: Close to 150D.            -   Amount of pollen: Scarce.            -   Pollen color: Close to 12A.        -   Gynoecium:            -   Pistil number: About four.            -   Pistil length: About 1 mm.            -   Style length: About 1 mm.            -   Style color: Close to 138D.            -   Stigma shape: Flat.            -   Stigma color: Close to 8D.            -   Ovary color: Close to 138D.    -   Seeds:        -   Length: About 0.1 mm.        -   Diameter: About 0.05 mm.        -   Color: Close to 166 C.

Temperature Tolerance:

-   -   Plants of the new Kalanchoe have been observed to tolerate        temperatures from about 16° C. to about 35° C.

Pathogen & Pest Resistance:

-   -   Plants of the New Kalanchoe have not been Observed to be        resistant to pests and pathogens common to Kalanchoe plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Kalanchoe plant named ‘Fikalsaja’as illustrated and described.